Box toe for safety shoes



July 31, 195% L, T HILL 2,755,519

BOX TOE FOR SAFETY SHOES Filed March 11, 1955 United States atent 1;...-

BOX TOE FOR SAFETY SHOES Lawson T. Hill, Weston, Mass., assignor to HillBros. Co., Hudson, Mass, a corporation of Massachusetts ApplicationMarch 11, 1955, Serial No. 493,753 3 Claims. (CI. 36-77) This inventionrelates to safety shoes of the type having a steel reinforcing box inthe toe, and pertains more particularly to a pad construction forenclosing, and cushioning the edge of, a steel toe box. This applicationis a continuation-in-part of my copending application Serial No.402,053, filed January 4, 1954, now abandoned.

Safety shoes of the general type to which this invention pertains haveheretofore presented a rather awkward appearance due to the ridgecreated in the upper by the rear edge of the steel box. This edge alsohas a tendency to cut through the upper when the shoe is worn.Furthermore the metal edge is likely to hurt the Wearers foot and causeblisters. Another complaint frequently encountered is that the steel boxtransmits cold too rapidly and tends to chill the wearers toes. Anotherdifficulty encountered in the use of a metal toe box in a shoe is thatthe lower edge of the box tends to cut the inseam stitching.

The general object of this invention is to overcome these difiicultiesby effectively insulating the steel box from the wearers foot,cushioning the rear edge on the inside, filling in the usual depressionimmediately behind the edge of the steel box so as to achieve a smootherappearance of the upper, and enclosing the lower edge of the box so thatit is not in contact with the inseam. Other advantages and novelfeatures of the device here disclosed will be apparent from thefollowing description:

In the drawings illustrating the invention:

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal cross-section of the toe of a shoe having a boxassembly constructed according to the invention;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view, partly broken away, of the pad assemblybefore it is installed in the shoe.

The box and pad assembly is shown in Fig. 1 as installed in a shoe ofthe Goodyear welt type having the usual upper and upper lining 11secured to the insole 12 by inseam stitching 13. A steel toe box 14 isenclosed in the toe. Between the upper lining and the steel box isinserted a pad of the type shown in Fig. 2. The pad consists of a pieceof pyroxylin 15 of a shape and size corresponding to box 14, having arear margin 16 to which a strip 17, of sponge rubber or similar spongymaterial, is attached, for example, by a line of stitching 18. Thepyroxylin pad is made somewhat larger than the steel box so as tooverlap the lower edge of the latter when the two are assembledtogether. The pad and strip are inserted between box 14 and the lining11 with the strip overlapping the rear edge of the box. A cover 19 ofthin pyroxylin, slightly larger all around than the box is placedbetween the box and the upper 10. A strip of gummed tape 23 is appliedto the upper in the region overlying the foam rubber strip 18, and ispreferably wider than the latter so as to project beyond its front andrear edges. Strip 23 helps to keep the upper smooth in this region. Itis understood that the pad and cover are softened with suitable solventand all the parts are formed over a last which may be of the usual type,but is preferably of the type described in my copending applicationSerial No. 493,651, filed March 11, 1955, now Patent No. 2,737,671,granted March 13, 1956, which has a groove across the forepart torelieve pressure on the foam rubber strip. The pad 15 is bonded to thesteel box and to the lining 11 and the cover 19 is bonded to the box andto the upper. The overlapping margins of the cover are bonded to thelower margins of pad 15 so that the steel box is completely encasedaround its lower edge. This feature serves to prevent breaking of theneedle by contact with the box, during the inseaming operation and alsoprotects the inseam stitching 13 against cutting by the edge of the boxin subsequent wear. The rear edges of the pad 15 and cover 19 extend alittle to the rear of that of the toe box and are bonded together. Thecover, being bonded to the upper and tape 23, keeps the upper fromcreeping, thus preserving the smooth appearance of the toe, and alsoprevents the rear edge of the box from cutting through the upper. Thepad 15, being bonded to the lining 11, prevents wrinkling of the lining,and the sponge rubber strip 17 cushions the rear edge of the steel boxand also that of the pyroxylin pad 15 which becomes stiff when it isformed. The wearers foot is thus protected against irritation by thestifi rear margin of the toe box assembly. It will be noted also thatthe sponge material tends to fill in the gap behind the rear edge of thebox and smooths out the ridge which ordinarily appears in the upper atthis point. The whole assembly thus produces a comfortable and smoothappearing forepart.

What is claimed is:

1. In a shoe having a sole, an upper, and an upper liner, a toe boxassembly comprising a metal toe box mounted in the forepart of saidupper and having a lower edge disposed adjacent said sole and a rearedge disposed across the vamp portion of the upper, a formed pyroxylinpad disposed between said box and said liner and bonded thereto, saidpad having a rear edge disposed across the vamp portion of the upper, astrip of foam rubber attached to said pad under the rear edge thereofand extending behind the rear edges of the box and pad, said strip beingcompressed along its line of contact with said rear edges and deformedupward in the region behind said rear edges to substantially fill in thespace between the upper and the liner in said region, and a strip oftape adhesively secured to said upper and overlying said rear edges andsaid foam rubber strip.

2. A toe box assembly as described in claim 1, having a pyroxylin coverdisposed between said metal box and said upper, the cover and pad havingedges projecting behind that of the box and bonded together, said tapehaving margins disposed behind and in front of said strip, the frontmargin overlying said cover.

3. A toe box assembly as described in claim 1, having a cover disposedbetween said metal box and said upper, the cover and pad having loweredges projecting below the lower edge of said metal box and bondedtogether.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,826,645 Bergquist Oct. 6, 1931 1,952,758 Josephson Mar. 27, 19341,970,157 Williams Aug. 24, 1934 2,328,601 Baird Sept. 7, 1943 2,537,891Greeman Jan. 9, 1951 2,578,987 Schultz Dec. 18, 1951 FOREIGN PATENTS236,988 Great Britain July 13, 1925

